Oceanside JCC awarded $100K grant to repair aging roof

Friedberg JCC has received a $100,000 state grant to repair its roof, according to Associate Executive Director Roni Kleinman.

State Sen. Todd Kaminsky obtained the grant from the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. It will enable the JCC to make substantial repairs to the Oceanside Community Center’s roof, making it watertight and preventing leaks in the building.

“The Friedberg JCC is a pillar of the Oceanside community by providing a variety of services and recreational opportunities to neighbors of all ages,” Kaminsky said. “I am pleased to have secured funding to repair their roof, a necessary improvement to the building which will secure the JCC’s place in our community for many years to come.”

The roof of the building, at 15 Neil Ct., is about 20 years old. Over the years, small repairs have been made after rainstorms, windstorms and Hurricane Sandy. “The money that Sen. Kaminsky secured for us will afford us the opportunity to repair the entire roof so it’s not just patchwork,” Kleinman said.

On Jan. 24, heavy rainfall caused the roof to leak. In a statement to the community, representatives at the JCC wrote, “Please pardon our appearance while we manage the parts of our roof that couldn’t sustain the severity of the rain storm today. We appreciate your understanding during this time.”

Kleinman noted that the repairs are “badly needed” and will begin sometime in the spring when the weather gets warmer. The roof renovation will take about two weeks to complete.

“We serve a lot of people — children, adults — and we need to be able to serve them in a safe environment,” Kleinman said. “When you have a leaky roof, that creates hazards for the building and certain areas can be dangerous.”

She added that once the repairs are finished, the building will have an overall improved indoor environment, with better retention of heating and cooling.

“With a nonprofit like ours, we serve the community, we serve people, and we don’t make money,” she said. “It’s out of the generosity of New York state and Sen. Kaminsky that we are able to do our work and not concentrate all of our efforts on this. Keeping up a brick and mortar building really creates a set of challenges and we rely on the state to believe in our mission and support us.”